Fresh off defeat in the 10th Congressional District, former astronaut Jose Hernandez said Wednesday that his political career has only just begun.

Hernandez said he plans to stay in Manteca, where he recently bought a home, and search for a job within commuting distance.

"I've got kids to get through college," he said.

But, Hernandez added, he will not shrink away from the public spotlight after his loss to Republican Jeff Denham of Turlock.

"I'm far too young to be put out to pasture in the political world," the 50-year-old Democrat said. "My political career just began. I'm not going to say, 'This is too hard for me' and go be a recluse. This actually emboldens me to be more involved."

Asked directly about running for public office, he said, "Never rule anything out."

Hernandez said he will also remain publicly active through his Reaching for the Stars Foundation, which seeks to prepare students for careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

Hernandez lost 53 percent to 46 percent, suffering the biggest hit in Denham's home county of Stanislaus. But Hernandez lost in San Joaquin County as well, by about 1,500 votes, despite living in Manteca.

"We started as underdogs, and we just couldn't close the gap in time," he said.

Despite the defeat, he called the campaign a "great experience" and thanked volunteers and staff.

He said he called Denham on Wednesday to wish him luck.

He also said - at the conclusion of what was a bitter campaign - that his defeat is a "tragic" example of the need for campaign finance reform in America.

"Anytime you get outspent by $2 million and the fact that most of that money did not come from my opponent's fundraising abilities, you've got to realize we need some type of reform," Hernandez said. "This new system is just not working."

In a victory speech Tuesday night, Denham told supporters that his on-the-ground campaign was enough to overcome negative television ads paid for by Democrats. He filed a lawsuit late last month in an effort to push the ads off the air.

"You win elections because you're out there talking to people neighbor to neighbor, door to door, no matter what they say about you on TV," Denham said. "You're out there telling the truth."